2.4.7 Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS)

Universal Mobile Telecommunication System UMTS:

Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) is a third generation mobile cellular technology for networks based on the GSM standard. Provides a range of broadband services to the world of wireless and mobile communication.  Developed by the 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project), UMTS is a component of the International Telecommunications Union IMT-2000 standard set and compares with the CDMA2000 standard set for networks based on the competing CDMA One technology. UMTS employs wideband code division multiple access (W-CDMA) radio access technology to offer greater spectral efficiency and bandwidth to mobile network operators. UMTS specifies a complete network system, covering the radio access network (UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network, or UTRAN), the core network (Mobile Application Part, or MAP) and the authentication of users via SIM cards (Subscriber Identity Module).

The technology described in UMTS is sometimes also referred to as Freedom of Mobile Multimedia Access (FOMA) or 3GSM.

Unlike EDGE (IMT Single-Carrier, based on GSM) and CDMA2000 (IMT Multi-Carrier), UMTS requires new base stations and new frequency allocations.

W-CDMA:

WCDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access) defines the air interface access of the UMTS network. Unlike GSM and GPRS, which uses time division multiple access and frequency division multiple access, W-CDMA allows all users to transmit at the same time and to share the same RF carrier. Further, W-CDMA uses a wider bandwidth (5 MHz) as compared to CDMA IS-95 systems (1.25 MHz). W-CDMA has two modes; FDD (Frequency Division Duplex) and TDD (Time Division Duplex). The UMTS specifications refer to mobile cell phones or mobile devices as UE (User Equipment) and a W-CMA base station as Node B.

  Frequency Range:

A recommendation for the national authorities for reserving frequencies for 3G applications was passed on the initiation of the ITU-R at the World Administrative Radio Conference in February 1992 (WARC-92). The frequency ranges from 1885-2025 MHz and from 2110-2200 MHz are to be reserved globally for 3G systems.They include frequency ranges for MSS‘s: 1980-2010 MHz and 2170 -2200MHz.

UMTS Services:

3G service capabilities for these services should take account of their discontinuous and asymmetric nature in order to make efficient use of network resources. Basic services provided in 3G networks are audio, video, facsimile transfer, data communication, Internet services, e-mail, voice mail, paging, messaging, and combinations of these i.e. multimedia.

-         High Security Data.

-         New Services.

-         World Wide Roaming.

-         Multi-environment Support.

-         High Quality of Voice & Services.

-         Low Cost.